V75® (Sunday): "Wins five times out of ten at least"
Fifty Cent Piece has dominated in the stake races she has been eligible to as an import.
On Sunday it's time for the Breeders Crown final for four-year-old mares and that's when Robert Bergh's top mare will try to take home her next big title.
"It's always tough but I think she wins this type of race five times out of ten at least" says Oskar Florhed in the Bergh stable.
After the semi finals two weeks ago at Solvalla it's now time for the Breeders Crown finals for three- and four-year-olds at Sundbyholm racetrack in Eskilstuna.
U.S. born Fifty Cent Piece has raced in the stakes open for foreign mares all year and she has been in a class of her own in both the Queens Trophy as well as in the mare division of the Sprint Championship.
In V75-4 on Sunday Robert Bergh can win the third big final for the year with his top mare in the race with SEK 800,000 to the winner.
She is not dependant on any certain trip and is both fast and tough has nails. In the semi final she 'only' finished second after not having been able to hold up the lead from her inside post position. Robert Bergh chose to back through the field and make a three-wide move to park his mare outside the leader. She couldn't hold off Loaded Maria, who after a nice trip won the semi final.
"She got a tough trip and she has gotten two tough trips in a row now. But she made it to the final which was the most important thing. She was not in top form two weeks ago either. She is supposed to be on Sunday, though" says Robert Bergh's second trainer Oskar Florhed.
Fifty Cent Piece is usaully quick out of the gate. The fact that she couldn't hold up the lead in the semi final is due to a piece of equipment according to Florhed.
Since the mare had made breaks behind the gate earlier, Robert Bergh wanted to make sure she stayed flat so he had added an earhood for the Solvalla start.
"She went from being too sharp without the earhood to being too lazy with it on. We will remove it for the final and race her with pullout earplugs like we have before. She will race barefoot all around as usual too" says Florhed.
Best possible post position
After having won Stochampionatet, the Derby for mares and the Swedish Championship for mares, Daniel Redén's Honey Mearas will be the favorite in the Breeders Crown final for four-year-old mares (V75-4).
Fifty Cent Pice was not eligible to any of those races but she did beat Honey Mearas in the Queens Trophy at Åby in May.
Now the two top mares will face each other again.
"The toughest opponent? All the mares who have made it to the final are tough opponents and I don't want to put my finger on anyone in particular. I just know that it's a huge advantage for 'Fifty' having post four this time instead of post one. Post three, or four as she has now, are the best possible posts for her to have. She can leave really well if she wants to. Two starts ago at Färjestad she made a break behind the gate when she got scared as two of her opponents hooked wheels. She's a bit sensitive when it comes to certain things but she normally doesn't make breaks easily" says Oskar Florhed.
Fifty Cent Piece's form has been at high, even level all year and maybe one notch better in the stake finals. Are you expecting the same form on Sunday?
"Yes, every time she's been in a final she's been extra good and the plan is for her to be in top form on Sunday. She's a light horse who is easy to get in top form. She was not in top form in her last start, the goal then was just to make the final. It's always tough, but I think she wins a race like this five times out of ten at least".